[REBOL] Re: relative expressions
From: brett:codeconscious at: 3-Apr-2003 16:54
Hi Gabriele,
> Maybe, but it is very dialect-specific anyway. I don't think it is
> possible to have a solution that is so general to allow you to mix
> any two dialects, mainly because mixing does not have any sense
> for most two dialects.
I'm not looking for a general way to mix any two dialects, I'm looking for a
more general way to design dialects so that they can be easily mixed. Such a
thing may not solve all problems but if it solves many problems it has
value. I know a solution exists already - write a REBOL script, though I
hope for something with a little more leverage. On the other hand maybe the
REBOL script is the best solution and I just don't know how to leverage it
in the best way.
Here's a situation I'm looking/hoping for. Assuming I have the components,
it should be easier/faster for me to describe using dialects a given
application than using Excel. For example, lets say I want to do a
discounted cash flow, calculate an internal rate of return and show me the
workings in a grid. Right now, despite having an IRR and NPV functions, I
would do this in Excel because it is a non-trivial ad-hoc application and I
am confident that I'll achieve the result this way without spending too much
time. But then I end up with a non-reusable application (ignoring highly
complex MS technology to make it reusable). I would prefer to describe the
application using dialects and for that process to be cheaper (in time and
effort) than the Excel solution and still end up with an application where I
can reuse most of my work in another situation.
In fact using VID and a pre-existing function I did write an ad-hoc
options-valuation program (for myself) that was faster to do in REBOL than
Excel. I want more wins like this - all the time - it should be the default
case. I want a quantum leap in productivity using dialects. But I'm
susceptible to dreaming ridiculous things :^)
Regards,
Brett
